23 Aug 2017 - PEI here we come

It was raining when we woke up and we hoped that it would clear up for the drive to PEI. We had our breakfast and checked out. We had decided the day before that the car was just too big for us and Margie remembered that she ordered a medium car not a giant SUV so, on our way to PEI , we went back to the airport to exchange the vehicle . The car rental folks gave us a little beater so much smaller and not so comfortable but way easier to drive and way, way easier to park. 

Margie drove first as we headed off to PEI Confederation Bridge through Truro in the rain. I switched to driving at Amherst. A small duck into New Brunswick and then we were on the bridge in the worst rain I had seen in a long time. Margie filmed us going over the bridge in the rain. There are a lot of rules when driving that bridge. No stopping, maintain speed, if you break down there will be a fine after they come and tow you off the bridge. Wow. It is two lanes, one in either direction and there are cameras all along it to make sure that nothing untoward happens to interfere with the flow of traffic. There is no toll payment to get onto PEI, but you have to pay to get off the island, either by the bridge or by ferry. 

After we crossed the bridge the weather cleared up quite a bit Margie and I switches driving again.  We were headed for Charlotte town and  as we drove we enjoyed the fields of corn and potatoes with the red soil. It really is quite red.  We circumvented Summerside , not stopping so it did not take us too long and we were there.  Of course it had started to rain again. 
We found our hotel the Delta Prince Edward, and checked in. It had cost me 3410 airmiles plus 66 dollars so it was the up scale hotel for our trip.  The parking was odd. it was hard to locate at first but we did and we picked up a ticket and checked in and they gave us a slip so that we could exit without paying. After stretching out for a bit in our room with the great view of the bay. we decided to brave the inclement weather and wander around Charlottetown. 
the Convention centre is quite large and right on the water. We walked around to the market area on the other side and took a few photos in the rain. I sprinkled Mom and Dad by a tree by the convention centre. 

It was raining so hard at one point that we just went into a store to get out of the rain. There were lots of little souvenir stores full of folks getting out of the rain. There were a few restaurants and some looked pretty good. There was this cow logo all over PEI. The local PEI dairy that made ice-cream that was sold everywhere. Well they had made a statue of the logo so we took our photo with the cow too.
We got back to our room and Margie decided to stay and get dry and I decided to try and find the bank. According to google maps it was only about three blocks away so off I went. It was only about three blocks away but there was construction and a nice park which distracted me so I walked about six blocks to find it. Charlottetown is a very nice city with lots of old buildings that are in good shape. 
On the way back to the hotel I saw the Anne of Green Gables store and could not resist.  I had read all of the Anne books when I was younger and just loved the character. I picked up a cloth book bag and some little Anne souvenirs that were so cute. 
When I got back I showed Margie and we both went to the store as it was not too far.  A bite for dinner at the Water Edge restaurant in the hotel and back to our room and a nice early night. We were only staying one night in Charlottetown and the next day promised to be very busy. It felt so good to be dry and warm.